"Wine rejoices the heart of Man and Joy is the Mother of all Virtues"
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
A 3 night stay in Palermo – leaving Thursday coming back Sunday. It is also possible to choose different days and also stay longer if required as we can extend this trip to Taormina, Ragusa, Siracusa, Agrigento, and Catania.
Day 1
Return flights (London based airport)
Private transfer to your B&B on arrival. You will be staying in a centrally located B&B close to the Vucciria market – Standard Double B&B (other options are available)
That evening, private transfer to have dinner with Daniela in a historical building dating back to the 1700s. The evening includes lots of Sicilian food and paired with some good wine. After dinner private transfer to your accommodation.
Day 2
Meet with our amazing Sicilian cook and together head to the Vucciria market. This is what you would imagine an Italian market to feel like but when you actually see it, you will be completely overwhelmed. With a lot of shouting and colour. Together you will pick out the various ingredients to use for your Sicilian cooking course and remember that the food will be pure “Siciliano”. You will learn about dishes which are reminiscent of The Leopard by Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa - pies, Beccaficio sardines or Malavoglia by Giovanni Verga - battered anchovies, sweet almonds….(Do not worry if you are not into sardines and anchovies, there are other goodies that can be cooked). If you do not want to cook, just watch with a Sicilian glass of wine and then just eat when it is all ready to be devoured.
That night a table will be booked at the Antica Focacceria S Francesco, authentic food and one of the oldest restaurants in Palermo. Start off with a Schiticchio Antica Focacceria (an old family recipe) followed by a Rigatoni Alla Norma, tomato sauce, deep-fried aubergine, dry ricotta cheese, and basil. As far as your mains, you can choose between swordfish cooked in cherry tomatoes, olives, capers, and fresh mint or beef rolls filled with caciocavallo cheese, raisins, pine nuts, and breadcrumbs. Finish it all off with a yummy Cannolo.
Day 3
You will have the morning off just allowing you time to get over the night before. Perhaps a morning tour to get to see the best of Palermo, which can be done on foot, or we can cover more by car. Perhaps go for an old town bike tour to shed a few pounds or head to an Italian bar and do a spot of people watching while enjoying a Granita and Brioscia.
In the afternoon, meet up with our guide and discover Palermo’s street food. Arancini – fried rice balls. On the 13th of December, it is Santa Lucia Day (The Arancini's patron saint) and this is when the arancino comes into its own. Also works well with a bottle of beer. Savour panino con le Pannelle, Pane con milza, different types of focaccia, frittola, Stigghiola and more.
That evening, a table will be booked at the simply minimalist Bye Bye Blues restaurant which Patrizia di Benedetto (Sicily’s first female chef to have achieved a Michelin star), owns with her husband. Enjoy a risotto with wild fennel, a tuna bottarga with marinated squid, lamb in almond, and a leek crust with pumpkin and pomegranate. End the evening and the trip with a Berlucchi Franciacorta Rose 61.
Day 4
A private transfer to the airport for your flight back to the UK.
For further pictures of Palermo - Click here.
